For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 74 / Spring 2012 / £6.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y Campaigning against apartheid Catherine Ellis and Matthew Redding Not playing games Young Liberals and anti-apartheid campaigns, 1968–70 Sandy Waugh Discovering Kincardineshire’s Liberal history John Morris Joyce Cary Liberal traditions Ryan Vieira Norman Angell and Angellism reconsidered J. Graham Jones David and Frances Lloyd George’s second marriage Liberal Democrat History Group ‘This new volume, taking a long view from the later seventeenth century to the Cameron-Clegg coalition of today, is a collective enterprise by many hands … This is an excellent book.’ Kenneth O. 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ISSN 1479-9642 Liberal history news 4 Editor: Duncan Brack Orpington celebrated; Now hear what Liberal Democrats really thought Deputy Editor: Tom Kiehl Assistant Editor: Siobhan Vitelli Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Not playing games 6 Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini The Young Liberals and anti-apartheid campaigns, 1968–70, by Catherine Ellis Contributing Editors: Graham Lippiatt, Tony Little, and Matthew Redding York Membery Discovering Kincardineshire’s Liberal history 13 Patrons Dr Sandy Waugh examines the Liberal history of his native county Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; Professor John Vincent Joyce Cary – Liberal traditions 16 Editorial Board John Morris celebrates the work of the English novelist Joyce Cary, and its roots Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; in Liberal ideas Dr David Dutton; Prof. David Gowland; Prof. Richard Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Dr Alison Letters to the Editor 21 Holmes; Dr J. Graham Jones; Dr Tudor Jones; Tony The 2010 election and the coalition (Michael Meadowcroft); Pat Collins (Lionel Little; Prof. Ian Machin; Dr Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Ed Randall; Jaime Reynolds; Dr Andrew King); Punch and cartoons (Andy Connell); Henry George the socialist (Sandy Russell; Dr Iain Sharpe Waugh) Editorial/Correspondence Norman Angell and Angellism reconsidered 22 Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and Angell’s ideas as one aspect of the New Liberalism; by Ryan Vieira book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. Contributions should be sent to: David and Frances 30 Dr J. Graham Jones examines the build-up to the marriage of David Lloyd Duncan Brack (Editor) George and Frances Stevenson in 1943 54 Midmoor Road, London SW12 0EN email: [email protected] All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. Liberal history quiz 2011 39 The answers (questions in Journal 73) Advertisements Full page £100; half page £60; quarter page £35. Report 40 Discounts available for repeat ads or offers to readers Whatever happened to ‘Orpington Man’? with Mark Egan and Dennis (e.g. discounted book prices). To place ads, please Kavanagh; report by Dr Emily Robinson; In further search of ‘Orpington Man’ contact the Editor. by Michael Steed Subscriptions/Membership Reviews 44 An annual subscription to the Journal of Liberal History Cole, Richard Wainwright, The Liberals and Liberal Democrats, reviewed by costs £20.00 (£12.50 unwaged rate). This includes membership of the History Group unless you inform Michael Meadowcroft; Meredith, Labours Old and New: The Parliamentary Right us otherwise. 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The Cover design concept: Lynne Featherstone Group organises discussion meetings and produces the Journal of Liberal History and other Published by the Liberal Democrat History Group, occasional publications. c/o 54 Midmoor Road, London SW12 0EN For more information, including historical commentaries, details of publications, back issues Printed by Kall-Kwik, of the Journal, and archive and other research sources, see our website at: 18 Colville Road, London W3 8BL www.liberalhistory.org.uk. March 2012 Chair: Tony Little Honorary President: Lord Wallace of Saltaire Journal of Liberal History 74 Spring 2012 3 LIBERAL hisTORY NEWS SPRING 2012 Orpington celebrated iberal legend Eric Lubbock seat with a near 22 per cent swing, very effectively’, and his ‘fantastic celebrated the 50th anniver- giving him a near 8,000 majority. team’ who ‘made a big difference’. Lsary of his Orpington by- He went on to hold it until 1970. While Meadowcroft rightly election winner with a star-studded Another veteran of the cam- observed that Orpington did not dinner at the National Liberal Club paign, William Wallace (now Lord ‘herald a great change in politics’ last month, writes York Membery. Wallace of Saltaire), explained how at the time, the final speaker of the A host of big names past and the Orpington by-election was ‘a night, party president Tim Farron, present attended the fifth Orp- world away from today’s world’. who wasn’t even born when it took ington Circle Dinner, chaired by ‘We did most of our canvassing place, argued that it had greater Paul Hunt, to pay tribute to the in the afternoon back then, and long-term significance than is still-sprightly octogenarian and there was nearly always someone sometimes appreciated. to talk about the campaign and its at home,’ he said, noting that many ‘The Orpington by-election significance. of those who eventually voted for rightly occupies an important Former Liberal MP Michael the Liberals were the sons or daugh- place in Liberal mythology,’ he Meadowcroft, who campaigned ters of Nonconformists. ‘What’s said. ‘It was a David versus Goliath alongside Eric at Orpington in more, people were keen to discuss struggle. Up until Orpington, the March 1962, told the hundred plus politics.’ party’s success had depended upon guests at the banquet: ‘This was a After a letter of congratulation Eric Lubbock, a handful of people who refused to by-election where the Tories got it from the party leader Nick Clegg, Lord Avebury accept that “the game was up”, the all wrong – and we not only got it thanking Eric for his ‘astounding (front row, conventional wisdom of the day – right, but did “disgustingly well”, contribution as an MP, chief whip centre), with but afterwards things were never to quote Jo Grimond.’ and peer’ was read out, Eric, who Orpington quite the same again.’ ‘Like everyone working at party now sits in the Upper Chamber as by-election He added, to applause: ‘The HQ at the time, I was sent to Orp- Lord Avebury, got up to say a few veterans simple truth is that without Orp- ington to help out in the campaign,’ words himself. The 83-year-old (photo Michael ington there would have been no recalled Meadowcroft. ‘The origi- modestly attributed much of the O’Sullivan; www. Bermondsey, Christchurch or Rib- nal Liberal candidate, Jack Gal- Liberal success at the by-election michaelosullivan. ble Valley. In short, the long march loway – a man who had a personal to Chitnis, ‘who ran the campaign co.uk) back to power began at Orpington.’ defect that he shared with Lloyd George – had been replaced at the eleventh hour by Councillor Eric Lubbock, a sound local squire and a figure of great moral rectitude.’ The seat had been left vacant for five months and in Peter Goldman the Tories clearly chose the wrong man to fight it. ‘He’d park his cara- van in a street. Tthe Tories would announce that “Peter Goldman is here” and urge anyone who wanted to meet him to visit him in his caravan,’ said Meadowcroft. ‘I don’t think he knocked on one door.’ The day before the by-election, Liberal campaign manager Pratap Chitnis (now Lord Chitnis) got wind of the fact that a new opin- ion poll in the Daily Mail showed the party closing on the Tories in the seat.